and baptized the King Queen and most of the people whereby our countrie became the first which publickly professed the faith of CHRIST as testifieth the learned Pamelius in his notes vpon Tertullian against the Iewes and the same saieth i Leslcus lib. 3. c. 27. Sabellicus Enneade 7. lib. 5 and thsrefore iustly deserueth the title of Primogenita Ecclesiae This testifie k Damasus in Pontific Harpesfield saec 1. cap. 3. saint Bede lib. 1. cap. 4 the Roman Martyrologe 26. Maij and the Breuiarie on the same day Marianus in Chronico Huntington lib. 1. pag. 304 Ethelwerd an ancient writer of the blood royal lib. 1. Westmonasteriensis anno 188 and it is confessed by Protestants Protestants confesse it as by Bale Centuria 1. cap. 22 Cambden pag. 628 Cooper anno 180 Godwin in life of saint Austin Stow anno 179 Parker in Archiepiscopis P. VICT. I. P. Victor I. Legatt conuerted Scotland pag. 4. The like charitable office performed Pope Victor I. vnto Scotland sending thither his Legats at the request of king Donaldus who baptized the King Queen and his nobilitie as testifie Boeth lib. 6. hist Scotiae fol. 86. Genebrardus in Chronico Holinshed in the historie of Scotland pag. 72 and others And about the year 324. Pope Siluester hauing P. SILVESTER anno 324. perfectly instructed our great Emperor Constantin baptized him and cured him of his leprosie as the same Emperour in his edict and manie l Monolog Graec. Cal. Iun. Acta Liberi vita Siluestri Huntington l. 1. pag. 306. Elerentius anno 506. others testifie Likewise about the year of CHRIST 400 Ninian beeing taugth at Rome saieth S. Bede lib. 3. cap. 4. truly the faith and mysteries of truth was n Capgraue in his life S. Ninian Legat of the P. conuerted the Picts thence sent to conuert the south Picts who then inhabited the best part of Scotland And about the year 429 Pope Celestin consecrated Palladius P. CELESTIN I. Bishop and sent him into Scotland where as yet was no Bishop nor forgetfull of Ireland sent thither that great saint Patrik S. Patrik Legat of P. Celestin conuerted Ireland who conuerted that Iland to the true Catholick Faith and is therefore iustly termed euen of o Cambden in Hibernia 760. Bale Centur. 1. cap. 44. S. Germrn Legat of Protestants the Apostle of Ireland And whereas at the same time the Britons began to be infected with the heresie of Pelagius the same p Celestin suppressed Pelagian in Britan. p Prosper in Chro. Baro. anno 429. Pope sent saint German and saint Lupus to confute and suppresse that heresie which they performed both with disputations and miracles Thus continued the exceeding loue of the sea Apostolick vnto great Britanie al the time that the Britons possessed it al or the greatest part thereof 7. But towards our English Nation after it had conquered that part of great Britanie which now is called England it appeared far greater For whereas not only the q Bede lib. 2. cap. 2. Britons refused but also al neighbour nations r S. Gregorie â—ib 5. Epis 58. 59. neglected to preach the Chtistian faith to our English ancestours who euer before had been Pagans and bondslaues saieth saint Bede of Idols only Rome lib. 2. cap. 1. put forth her helping hand to draw them out of darknes P. GREGORIEI anno 599. and slauerie of Idols For no sooner that blessed and holie Father S. Gregorie as Bishop Å¿ In life of saint Austin p. 3. God win calleth him vnderstood that the t Bede lib. 2. cap. 1. Ioan. Diacon in vita Creg Angles or English whom for their beutie hee termed Angels were Pagans but forth with he went to the Pope of that time and beseeched him to send Preachers into England offering himself to be one And obtaining licence thereof came on his voyage three dayes iournay towards England but was recalled at the great importunitie of the Romans who were vnwilling to want so worthie a man But neuertheles he forgot not his holie entreprise For as soone saieth saint Bede lib. 2. cap. 1. as he was Bishop ouer the whole world he made our nation the Church of CHRIST which had been euer vntill that time the bondslaue of Idols And in the year 596. sent hither S. Austin with almost fortie Monks more to preach who being entertained by king Ethelbert in short time conuerted both him and his whole countrie And that they preached the true faith of CHRIST appeared by the miracles which they wrought in testimonie thereof which were so manie and so great as it seemed saieth saint Gregorie that they imitated the vertues of the Apostoles by the miracles which they wrought and they are so certain and vndoubted as they are not only testified by the sayed S. x l. 9 epist 56. 58. Gregorie S. y lib. 1. c. 32. lib. 2. c. 1. 2. Bede and other ancient Authors but confessed euen by the most earnest z Fox in Acts p. 105. Godvvin in life of saint Austin Stovv in Chro. p. 65. Holinshed lib. 5. cap. 19. 21. 20. Spelman in Concil p 93. Cambden p. 104. Prostants Again in the year 601 he sent more Preachers and with them al things necessarie for the ornament and seruice of the Church as holie vessells saieth saint Bede lib. 1. cap. 29. altar clothes apparel for Priests and Clerks Reliks of holie Apostles and Martyrs and many books S. Gregor sent a Pall for Mass and a Pall to S. Austin to vse only saieth S. Gregorie at Mass appointed him to be ouer al the Bishops and Priests of Britanie and gaue him licence to institute two Archbishopricks and 24 Bishopricks Besiids he sent rich presents of diuers kindes to the King and Queen and also sent order into France to buy a Greg. lib. 5. epist 10. such English youthes as were there slaues and to send them vp to Rome there to be brought vp in wertue and learning wherein he gaue the example of the English Seminarie which not long aftet our English kings founded in Rome Such was the exceeding loue of this blessed Pope towards our nation whom we may wel and must saieth Saint Bede lib. 2. cap. 15. call our Apostle and may lawfully pronounce of him that saying of the Apostle Although he were not an Apostle to others yet he was to vs for the signe of his Apostleship we are in our Lord. 8. Neither was this great good so happily begun and planted in our nation by saint Gregorie and his Legats neglected by the Popes his successors but rather diligently watered and furthered by them as appeareth by the letters and messages of diuers of them sent vnto our Princes and Bishops to that purpose as of Pope Boniface in the year 618. of Pope Honorius P. HONORIVS I. anno 635. in 633 of Pope Agatho 679 Pope Zacharie 746 Pope Adrian 789 an others But most of all it was
the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to others Gentils hee did for whom God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the Gospel and beleeue and that he here founded Churches and ordained Priests and Deacons which is reported by Simeon Metaphrastes out the Greeke Antiquities The like hath Vsher in his Antiquities Vsher. of Britanie c. 1. and 16. And also Baker in his historie of Baker England pag. 3. Who addeth that this and more is reported by Authors of good credit And I ad that no graue Author denieth it nor can any sufficient reason be brought why it should not be beleued So that mere inctedulitie or obstinacie can bee opposed against it which may be opposed against anie historical writing whatsoeuer and so all historical belieef ouerthrowne For who beleue in histories what they will and what they will not beleue not doe not beleue histories but themselues 4. Neither was this loue of S. Peter to our countrie extinguished 2. Petri 1. by his death but as himselfe promised to some he had it in minde also after his departure and miraculously assisted it in great necessities So that truly wrote b Malmesbury lib. 1. Pontificum p. 209. S. Sergius first Pope one thousand years ago to our English Kings that S. Peter was mindfull of them And Pope c Eugubin de Donat. Constan Alexander II. to King William the Conquerour and Pope d S. Peter Protector of Enhland Alexander III. to King Henry the second that England was vnder saint Peters protection euer since Christs name was glorified there And Pope e Bede lib. 2. cap. 10. Huntington lib. 3. p. 317. Boniface I. writing to King Edwin calleth S. Peter his Protector For when our countrie about the year of Christ 611. began to reuolt from the faith of Christ and some Bishops had forsaken the land and S. Laurence Archbishop of Canterburie was minded to follow them Saint Peter appearing S. Peter committed Englishmen to S. Laurence to him and scourging him with sharp stripes a great while in the close night chalenged with Apostolical authoritie and asked him why hee would forsake the flocke which he himselfe had committed to him and to what shepheard running now away he would leaue the sheep of IESVS-CHRIST beset in the midst of so many woulues By thes stripes of saint Peter and with these exhortations Laurence being stirred vp and encouraged came boldly to the king early in the morning and loosing his garment shewed him how sore hee was beaten and how pitifully his flesh was torn The King as soone as he heard that for his own saluation the Bishop had suffered such greuous beatings yea and that of the Apostle of CHRIST he feared much and afterward abandoning all worship of Idols he embraced the Faith of CHRIST and being baptized endeauoured to keepe and maintaine the estate of the Church in al points to the vttermost of his power Thus S. Bede lib. 2. c. 6. who liued in the same age in which this happened and the same testifieth the king himself in his g Reiner in Apost charter yet extant Also Alcuin in Epist 97. and our best Historiographers as William Malmesburie lib. 1. Regum Angliae cap. 1. Henrie of Huntington lib. 3. pag. 326. Marianus in Chronic. ann 617. Florentius Anno 616 Westmonasteriensis anno 616. And the Protestants confess it same is confessed by Protestāts as by Bishop Godwin in the life of S. Laurence Holinshed lib. 5. histor cap. 24. Isacson ann 616. Weuer in his monuments pag. 245. who also ibid. pag. 246. rehearseth the Epitaphe vpon the tombe of saint Laurence in which the same is affirmed and lastly the Magdeburgensian Centuriatours Centuria 7. cap. 10. 5. Not long before this when S. Peter consecrated VVestminster Church Sebareth King of the East-Saxons had built a Church in honor of S. Peter in the place where now Westmonasterie stādeth saint Peter came from Heaven and himselfe dedicated the Church and confirmed his dedication by a miracle which long after continued Authors of this are two ancient and holy kings Edgar VVitnesse tvvo English Kings and graue Authors and S. Edward the Confessor in their Charters made to that Monasterie as may be seen in Bishop Vsher in his booke de Primordiis Eccl. Britannicae cap. 16. pag. 741 742 and in vveuer in his Monuments pag. 450. Whereof I will rehearse the words of S. Edwards Charter taken as weuer saieth outof the records of the Toure The Church of S. Peter in Westminster was anciently builded vnder Mellit first Bishop of London fellow and of the same time with Saint Austin first Archbishop of Canterburie and by blessed Peter himself with seruice of Angels dedicated with the imprinting of the holie Cross and vnction of the holie Trinitie And king Edgar as Bishop Vsher relateth in his Charter auoucheth that in the year 604 it was dedicated not of anie other but of S. Peter himself Prince of the Apostles to his own honor The same certifie saint Ealred a most graue Author saieth Spelman in the life of saint Edward the Author of saint Dunstans life William of Malmesburie lib. 1. Regum and lib. 2. Pontificum Capgraue in life of S. Edward Otterburn Walsingam an 1378 pag. 213. and 214. Baronius an 610. And are not two ancient and holie kings and so many graue authors worthie to bee beleued S. Peter restored the royal English blood to the crovvn Likewise when the Danes had oppressed England vsurped the crowne and driuen all the royal English blood out of England Saint Peter appeared in a vision to Brithwold a holy Bishop of Wilton or as some say of Winchester anointed saint Edward king of England and foretold the yeares of his reigne and the end of the furie of the Danes adding these most confortable words The Our best Authors testifie it kingdome of England is the kingdome of God Authors of this are the aforesaid Malmesburie lib. 2. Regum cap. 13. and lib. 2. Pontif. pag. 249. Ealred in life of saint Edward Westmonasteriensis anno 1056 Capgraue in life of S. Edward Polidor lib. 8 Harpesfeld saec 11. cap. 19. Baronius an 1043. And it is confessed Protestants confesse it by Protestants as by Bishop Parker in vita Stigandi by Bishop Godwin in vita Brithwoldi by Cambden in his Remains pag. 5 Holinshed lib. 7. cap. 15 by Isaakson anno 909. and others 6. Neither was the singular affection towards our countrie peculiar to saint Peter but as from a fountain descended to his successors For when the sweet sound of the Gospel here preached by him had in time increased and come to the ears of Lucius then king here he sending to Rome for Preachers P. ELEVTHERIVS Pope Eleutherius the fourteenth Pope after Saint Peter about the year h Gordō 188 186 P Eleutherius Legats conuert Britanie sent hither saint Fugatius and Damian who instructed
Who not obeying the Pope he soone dyed miserably and was left vnburied vntil his sonne had sent home the pledges and sworn to stand to the iudgment of the Church And in the year P. INNOCENT III anno 1207. Paris anno 1207. Stovv anno 1207. 1207 Pope Innocent III. sent to king Ihon an eloquent Epistle and diuers pretious jewels And in the year 1215 when the Barons had extorted from the said king certain l Paris ann 1216. Polidor l. 15. Stovv anno 1215. Godvvin in vita Steph. Lang. Bale Cent. 3. p. 260. charters and liberties the same Pope at the kings request disannulled those charters and excommunicated the Barons who had rebelled against him And when the said Barons had called in Lewis the Prince of France King Ihon put al his hope in the Popes Legat. Paris anno p. 377. chosen him their king and yeelded the chiefest cities and holds into his hands so that England was in manifest danger to be lost the said Pope sent his Legat to assist king Iohn and to forbid the French vpon paine of excommunication to enter into England which he stoutly performed and was a great means of saueing England In the year P. INNOCENT IV anno 1258. Paris anno 1254. Stouv anno 1254. 1258 Pope Innocent IV. bestowed the royal title of the kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie vpon Edmund sonne to king Henrie III and by a Cardinal sent to him the inuestiture P. ALEXANDER IV. anno 1257. VVestmon anno 1254. Bale Cent. 4 p 290. Paris anno 1254. thereof And in the year 1257 Pope Alexander IV. sent messengers to Richard Duke of Cornwal brother to the said king Henrie for to goe into Germanie to receaue it which he did and was crowned at Aquisgran And in the year 1292 when the Barons had wrested from the said King Henrie 3 certain liberties Pope Vrban IV at the said kings request P. VRBAN IV. anno 1292. Stovv anno 1262. Bale CeÌ„t. 4. p 293. 326. Paris p. 1322 sent a Legat to accurse those Barons who had rebelled in defense of those liberties 12. In the year 1272 at the petition of king Edward I. Pope Gregorie X. excommunicated P. GREGORIE X anno 1272. VVestmon anno 1272. Polidor l. 17 VValsingaÌ„ Ypodig anno 1273. Guy of Montfort for killing the kings cousin germain in his return from the holie land condemned him of wilful and priuie murder of sacriledg and treason declared him to be infamous and incapable of anie office in the commonwealth disinherited his posteritie to the fourth generation and excommunicated al those who entertained him and interdicted their dominions And in the same Kings time was m Camden in Cantabrig p 435. Cambridge of a schole made on vniuersitie by the Pope And vnder Edward II. Pope Clement V. apointed that in Oxford should be read two Lectures Clement tit de Magistris cap. 1. of the Hebrew Arabick and Chaldaick tongues and authorized it for one of the foure famousest Vniuersities in Christendome Also in the year 1316. Pope Ihon XXII at the P. IHON XXII anno 1316. Polidor l 17 Stovv anno 1316. VValsingam anno 1312. 1317. said king Edward II. his request sent two Legats to make peace betwixt England and Scotland and to reconcile Thomas Earle of Lancaster to the king who excommunicated the Scots because they would not aggree to peace And in the same year at the same kings petition the Pope confirmed al the ancient priuiledges of the Vniuersitie of Cambridg which of long time they had enjoyned by the benefit saieth n Anno 1317. Stow of the Popes predecessors 13. Moreouer in the year 1489 Pope Innocent VIII P. INNOCENT VIII anno 1489. Godvvin in Episc Bathon n. 42. sent a Nunce to appease the the dissension betwixt the king of Scotland and his people but before his arriual the king was slain And about the year 1504. when there arose a contention betwixt king Henrie VII and Ferdinand king of Spain about precedence of their Embassadours P. IVLIVS II. anno 1504. Spondanus anno 1433. Volateran Comin ventura Stovv 1505 Bacon in Henrie 7. with the Pope Pope Iulius II. hauing heard both Embassadours gaue sentence in favour of the king of England And in the year 1505. sent to the king a sword and cap of maintenance as to a defender of the Church But as no king of England deserued better of the sea Apostolick then King Henrie VIII did for long time so none receaued more honor from thence then he For he receaued not only from Stavv anno 1514. Pope Iulius II in the year 1514. a sword and cap of maintenance for defending him against the king of France but also of P. LEO X. anno 1521. Stovv in Chron. Onuphrius in Chron. Pope Leo X in the yeat 1521 the most honorable title of DEFENDFR OF THE FAITH for his writing against Luther Which title as it is more honorable then the title of most Christian or Catholick giuen by Popes to the kings of France and Spain so was it euer most highly estemed by king Henrie and o Stovv anno 1547. engrauen on his tombe where is left out the title of his supremacie 14. And though Queen Elizabeth had vtterly cast of the Popes freindship yet he forsoke not her For Pope Pius P. PIVS IV. anno 1560. IV. supposing that she had reuolted from that sea rather for fear that her title to the crown might be called in question because one Pope before had declared her birth to be vnlawful then for dislike of the religion which in her fathers and sisters days she had professed sent à Nunce to promise her al fauour touching her title to the crown and p 1562. soone after an other to request her to send her Deuines to the Councel of Trente with promise of al securitie and libertie Neither P. CLEMENT VIII anno 603. may I leaue your Maiestie out of the number of the Princes of this land who haue tasted the loue of the sea Apostolick because out of your own grateful minde you haue q Proclaâ—at anno â—egni 1. publickly professed your self beholden vnto Pope Clement VIII for his temporal cariage and diuers kind offices towards you Besids he hath as is reported censured al such as shal molest your grace and hath often times professed that he would willingly giue his life for the eternal good of your countrie which is the greatest loue that one can bear as our Sauiour testifieth to his freind Oh how great enemies are they vnto England who seek by fals slanders to make such freinds odious vnto vs. 14. By this which hath been said omitting much more for breuitie your Maiestie cleerly seeth how greatly and how continually the sea Apostolick hath euer fauoured the Christian Princes of this land how manie and how great benefits both spititual and temporal Popes haue bestowed vpon them and in their dangers and distresses according to their power